


My Heart Is Racing for You, Baby

by kkslover9



Series: NYC AU [1]
Category: Football RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Anal Sex, Assumptions, Blow Jobs, Come Eating, Come Swallowing, Grey Romantic Character, GreyAro!Piqué, Hand Jobs, Light Bondage, M/M, Misunderstandings, Self-Discovery, aromantic spectrum character, rich kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-12
Updated: 2018-05-12
Packaged: 2019-05-05 21:23:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 16,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14627310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkslover9/pseuds/kkslover9
Summary: Gerard doesn't expect to hook up with someone at his birthday party but when up-and-coming fashion blogger Sergio comes on to him, he can't resist. Will this be a one night stand or something more?





	My Heart Is Racing for You, Baby

**Author's Note:**

  * For [abellyofjelly](https://archiveofourown.org/users/abellyofjelly/gifts).



> Thank you to pimpam for the wonderful beta job! I appreciate it so much!
> 
> Here's a mix/playlist that I made for the fic and which really got me through it. I had no idea it would get this long. 
> 
> Excuse the extra psychedelic photoshop.
> 
>  
> 
> [DOWNLOAD](https://www112.zippyshare.com/v/0lJytxpR/file.html)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Font with the hearts is Love and Passion by Jellyka.

Gerard knows that Cesc is going to be angry—no actually livid when he finds out that Gerard’s hooking up in his bedroom. Granted he gets Sergio down on the floor at the foot of the bed instead of the bed itself, but he’s not sure Cesc will appreciate that bit of consideration.

At least the beige carpet is plush and comfortable under their bodies as they kiss. Sergio’s hands are on Gerard’s hips, under his t-shirt, stroking the sides of his body. Gerard’s arms frame the sides of Sergio’s head as he presses down on him, kissing him slowly and deliberately. Sergio bends his leg up, grinding his thigh between Gerard’s legs. Gerard groans with the contact but gives back as good as he gets, pressing down until Sergio lets out soft but satisfying gasp. Sergio lifts Gerard’s t-shirt, tugging for him to take it off. Gerard complies kindly and Sergio resumes running his hands over Gerard’s body as they make out, attacking nipples with his fingers, squeezing them lightly. Gerard moans and deepens the kiss, sliding his tongue as far into Sergio’s mouth that he can manage, exploring the roof of his mouth.

Sergio hooks his leg around Gerard’s and rolls them over so that he’s on top, breaking the kiss in the process. He straddles Gerard’s hips and starts to unbutton his shirt. He’s all muscle underneath and his arms are covered in tattoos and God if it’s not sexy as hell. Gerard wants to take his tongue to them but he’s too far so instead he settles for running his fingers over Sergio’s abs. They’re firm and smooth under his touch. He runs his hands down to the tattoo peeking out over the top of the waistband of his jeans and dips both thumbs behind the waistband. Sergio smirks and undoes his belt and pulls it out slowly from the loops in his jeans. When he’s done, he take hold on Gerard’s wrists and slams them above his head, pinning them with both his hands.

Gerard hadn’t imagined it happening quite like this but he doesn’t hate it. It’s kind of hot to get pinned down yourself once in a while. Sergio kisses him hard, pressing Gerard’s head back into the soft carpet of Cesc’s bedroom floor. Sergio’s tongue acts first, pushing between Gerard’s slightly parted lips into his mouth. Gerard kisses back, trying for the same fierceness, shoving his tongue back against Sergio’s so that they clash, sliding over and pushing against each other. Gerard can’t help moaning.

Sergio breaks the kiss and moves in close to Gerard’s ear. “A little birdy told me you like things a little kinky.”

Gerard sucks in a breath. The kissing, being pinned down, it’s all getting him a bit too excited. “And I wonder who told you that?” Sergio hasn’t heard wrong, though Gerard has to wonder who’s been spreading gossip about his sex life to strangers.

“Don’t worry about it,” Sergio says, taking a moment to drag the lobe of Gerard’s ear through his teeth.

Gerard shudders.

Sergio lifts off of him for a moment. “Move up a bit more.”

Gerard digs his heels into the carpet and manages to wriggle himself closer to the foot of the bed. He feels the belt that Sergio had taken off go around one of his wrists and then the other. It takes a moment for Sergio to finish but in the end, Gerard finds his hands cuffed together. He pulls his wrists apart testing it and it’s pretty solid. He finds that his hands are cuffed around one of the legs of Cesc’s bed so that he can’t really move them. 

Sergio undoes Gerard’s jeans and pulls them down along with his briefs commanding a bit of help from Gerard by ordering him to lifting his hips. He wonders how this is going to work if Sergio actually plans to fuck him. He has no idea where Cesc keeps his lube and he’s not in any position to go looking. It turns out that he doesn’t need to worry though. He tilts his head to the side and watches Sergio open his bag and literally pull out a bottle of lube and if that’s not prepared, he doesn’t fucking know the meaning of the word.

“Bend your legs,” Sergio says.

Gerard can’t do much except for follow the instructions but he is rewarded for his obedience with a slick, lube coating finger at his entrance. He relaxes as best he can as Sergio pushes his legs wider with one hand and slides the finger inside. Sergio slides the finger in and out slowly. He adds another finger soon after. Gerard wriggles when they go in deep and Sergio laughs. 

“You like that? Wait ‘til we get you on my dick,” Sergio says.

Gerard groans because that’s a really good idea and just thinking about it is turning him on more and he’s already hard. 

“Hurry it up then,” Gerard says breathily. It’s his birthday for heaven’s sakes. He should be able to get a dick up his ass in a timely manner if he wants to.

“So impatient.” Sergio removes his fingers.

Gerard licks his lips in anticipation. Sergio takes a moment and then lifts one of Gerard’s legs over his shoulder, pushing his hips sideways slightly. Gerard is breathing heavily now. He exhales shakily as Sergio presses into him, stretching him open. 

“Fuck.” Gerard closes his eyes and his hands turn into fists. He wants desperately to hold on to something but he can’t because his hands are quite literally tied. Sergio groans low as he pushes in all the way and it’s such a good sound. Gerard’s always liked hearing the sounds his partners make during sex. 

“You feel so good,” Sergio says. His hand tightens on Gerard’s calf where he holds it over his shoulder. Sergio pulls out slowly and presses back in at the same speed then again. 

Gerard wants, no needs, more. “Please,” he says breathless.

Sergio stops. “Please what?”

“Fuck me harder.”

Sergio pulls out almost all the way and thrusts in hard. “Like that?”

“Fuck.” Gerard moans. “God yes. More. Don’t stop.” 

Sergio chuckles and Gerard can hear the smugness in it but he’s too interested in Sergio starting to fuck him properly to notice. The thrusts get faster gradually until Sergio builds up a good rhythm that has Gerard calling out his name. He’s pretty sure that anyone who walks past will hear him, even over the music that’s playing and the sound muffling door of the bedroom. Gerard can barely think about that. His mind is fuzzed with the pleasure that is currently spreading through his body. Sergio is good at what he’s doing and Gerard is enjoying every moment. 

Sergio slows back down. One hand stops holding down Gerard’s leg and instead goes to stroke his dick. Gerard can’t help but moan. Between the hand on him and the dick fucking his ass, he’s not going to last long. Sergio’s thumb and forefinger rub against the head and Gerard arches trying to fuck up into Sergio’s hand. Sergio continues to fuck him shallowly and stroke him at the same time so it’s not long before Gerard is coming with a loud groan all over Sergio’s hand and his own chest and stomach. 

Sergio rubs his hand down the front of Gerard’s body, smearing the come purposefully. With Gerard taken care of, Sergio starts to fuck him again. Gerard feels hypersensitive as Sergio continues to thrust into him but he likes it. Feeling overly stimulated. Sergio gives one final thrust as he comes, fingers digging into Gerard’s thighs. Gerard blinks slowly as his body still comes down from its climax. 

After a minute, Sergio crawls up to where Gerard’s hands are tied and undoes his belt to release Gerard’s wrists. 

“Are your wrists ok?” Sergio says when he’s done.

Gerard lifts his hands up and rotates his wrists experimentally. “Yeah. Fine.” They were a bit red but nothing that Gerard couldn’t deal with without getting too embarrassed. 

“Do you think Cesc would mind if I throw this in his trash?” Sergio holds up the tied-off used condom.

Gerard wants to laugh because yes. Cesc is going to mind terribly but what else are they going to do with it. “Go for it,” he says. He’s not going to hear the end of this anyway so why not just go all out. 

Sergio gets up to throw the condom away. Gerard takes the opportunity to sit up. His back kind of hurts from rubbing against the carpet and being on the floor, but it was more than worth it. Sergio stretches and it crosses Gerard’s mind that they haven’t met before tonight. He had thought about it when they had first introduced themselves but then Sergio looked at him with what was clearly bedroom eyes and things went in a different direction entirely. 

“How did you even get to the party in the first place? Do you know Cesc or something?” Gerard asks.

Sergio turns around and stretches. Gerard likes the way his muscles move and the way the tattoo just above his crotch sits there invitingly. “I know Nacho through a friend and he invited me when I ran into him earlier.”

“Monreal?”

“Yeah. He knows my friend Mesut.”

“Huh.” Gerard has no idea who Mesut is and he’s not really friends with Monreal but apparently he got an invite to the party and decided to bring along a guest. Not that Gerard was complaining right then. 

“Well, I hope you enjoyed your birthday present. It was last minute so I didn’t really get to buy you a gift.”

Gerard opens his mouth to respond that his “gift” was better than most of the others he received but a banging comes from the other side of the door. Ah yes. Fate was finally catching up to them.

“Geri are you fucking in there? Goddamn it! Couldn’t you just keep it in your pants for one night?” Cesc’s voice comes blaring through the sound muffling door so Gerard knew he was really shouting. 

Sergio is trying his best to hold back a laugh and is doubling over with the effort. Gerard isn’t laughing. Cesc is going to hold this against him for a while. He sighs and gets up to put on his clothes.

 

Leo apparently wakes up with a hankering for Korean BBQ. Or so he explains in the text Gerard gets in the middle of his Tuesday Marketing Management class. The class isn’t huge but there’s enough students that Gerard doesn’t feel too bad typing out a reply discreetly.

 _Didn’t we have_ bibimbap _last week?_

_it’s not the same thing and you know it, geri_

He can practically hear the exasperation in Leo’s text and he has to stop himself from rolling his eyes with a sigh. There are midterm exams next week so he needs to study but he also needs to eat so he’s not sure whether to turn Leo down or not. 

He’s only missed a minute and the professor is already changing topics. Gerard groans softly and starts another heading in his notes before shooting back a short text to Leo.

_Outside the business school at 2._

Leo is already waiting outside, leaning against the wall staring down at his phone, when Gerard is done with class. He pushes off the wall and grins but Gerard sees the bags under his eyes and frowns. 

“Are you sure you don’t need a nap first?”

Leo shakes his head vigorously. “I already had a redbull.”

“You know that stuff isn’t good for you, right?” Gerard says, hiking his bag high up onto his shoulder.

Leo rolls his eyes dramatically to show Gerard what he thinks of his concern. “You sound like my mom. Besides, I don’t wanna hear that from someone who can down a half bottle of whiskey like it’s water.”

“Ugh. That was one time and Cesc bet me I couldn’t.” Gerard ignores Leo’s judging look. 

Leo stretches and looks like he’s fighting back a small yawn at which Gerard shakes his head. 

“Don’t be like that. I’m fine. Neymar was over studying yesterday and we stayed up playing PS4 so he stayed over and dropped me off this morning.”

Gerard frowns. Leo is so lucky that Neymar’s parents absolutely adore him and are somehow unaware of the fact that Neymar is smitten with Leo. Though Leo seems equally oblivious though Gerard has told him to be careful numerous times. “Dropped you off. Like on his way to school?” He always tries to remind Leo that the kid is literally still in high school just in case.

Leo sighs. “You know it’s not like that, Geri. He doesn’t even like me, anyway. He’s got a crush of someone at his school. We’ve talked about it. Besides, he’s eighteen not fifteen, you know?”

Gerard hates that Leo can’t see it, refuses to see it, but maybe that’s for the better because once he realises he’s going to break the poor boy’s heart and Gerard is kind of fond of Neymar even if (or maybe because) he’s a little shit sometimes and insanely jealous when it comes to Leo. 

 

Leo lights up when they reach their destination. All his tiredness seems to melt away and it makes Gerard smile to see him so excited over food. They get a table quickly since it’s before the dinner rush and order enough beef and pork for three people. Gerard sips on a yuzu iced tea and eats some kimchi as he watches Leo cook the meat on the grill in the middle of the table. 

The only thing missing right now is Cesc. The three of them were inseparable in high school but then Cesc decided to go to Cornell instead of Columbia since his parents both attended and met there. 

“It’s been almost four years and I still can’t believe Cesc went to Ithaca over staying in the city,” Leo says as though he can read Gerard’s mind. “I mean, what’s even IN Ithaca?”

Gerard couldn’t have said it better himself. “He’s such an asshole.”

Leo flips over some of the thin slices of pork. “Imagine ditching great friends like us to move upstate.”

“I can’t even fathom that.”

Leo grins. “Exactly.” Then he laughs and Gerard can’t help but join in.

Gerard continues smiling long after they calm down. It was good to know that he wasn’t the only one who got sentimental. The pork finishes and Leo shares it out, leaving the prime rib to cook longer. It’s seasoned just a little spicy and goes down well with the iced tea. 

The door opens and a group of five people entire the restaurant and Gerard nearly chokes when he sees Sergio with them. Of all the times for a one night stands to walk in the door. It’s not that he’s unaccustomed to the mutual disregard that normally occurs in this situation. He’s just surprised because it’s been three weeks and Cesc still brings it up being locked out of his room in the group chat constantly, saying he’s never going to invite Geri to another party at his apartment, even if that party is another one of Gerard’s own birthday parties. 

“Isn’t that the guy from the party?” Leo says as Gerard tries to get his coughing under control. “Geri, I think he saw you.”

Gerard nods and takes a few gulps of tea. He’s going to need a refill.

Leo shakes his head. “No. I mean, he’s coming over.”

Gerard’s head whips around in time to see Sergio reach their table. Sergio smiles at him and Gerard smiles back as best he can. This wasn’t the mutual disregard he expected. Maybe their eyes would meet briefly and they would both turn away but Sergio was here and he was leaning in to kiss Gerard on the cheek like they were friends.

“It’s good to see you,” Sergio says, wearing a cheerful gentle look that makes Gerard believe that he really is happy to run into him.

Gerard nods. “You too.”

He can’t help but let his eyes wander to Sergio’s tattooed muscular arms now that the jacket he came in with is draped across a forearm. Leo coughs softly and Gerard quickly returns his gaze to Sergio’s face. Sergio’s smile has gone a bit smug. Gerard groans inwardly at his mistake. Yes, Sergio was hot and he now knew that Gerard thought so too. 

“Hi, I’m Leo.”

Gerard silently thanks Leo for talking attention away from him. Sergio and Leo shake hands and Sergio leans over and kisses his cheek.

“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Leo says.

Gerard’s eyes go wide. What the fuck was Leo doing? Sergio clearly seems taken aback. There’s not much Gerard could tell anyone other than that Sergio is hot and good in bed or rather on the floor. Sergio glances at Gerard with a confused expression but he recovers quickly and smiles at Leo. 

“Only good things, I hope.”

“Naturally,” Leo says. 

Gerard decides that he’s going to kill Leo after this. Only death is good enough for that little bastard. 

“I should go,” Sergio says, “but before I forget—” he reaches into his back pocket to pull out a wallet and takes out a business card—“you should call me.”

With that, Sergio leaves and returns to his group, thankfully, at the other side of the restaurant. 

Sergio Ramos  
Fashion Blogger | Designer | Stylist

The card gave his website, twitter, Instagram and Youtube. It seemed like a lot to keep up with to Gerard. 

“Lemme see,” Leo says, stretching out his hand for the card.

Gerard hands it over somewhat reluctantly but he’s sure if he doesn’t, Leo’s going to steal it somehow. The first thing Leo does is take a picture of it and post it on the group chat with Cesc. Immediately, his phone starts vibrating madly as Cesc instantly replies and Leo engages him in conversation. Gerard takes his phone and puts it on silent because he can’t join in right now when he’s sure Cesc and Leo are probably roasting him.

“What the fuck was that anyway?” Gerard says. “’I’ve heard a lot about you’ my ass.”

Leo looks up from his phone and shrugs. “What? He seems nice.”

Gerard really doesn’t want relationship advice from Leo who seems to only get emotionally invested in assholes, but he’s not going to say that even if he probably deserves to hear it after pulling a stunt like that. Leo wouldn’t talk to him for days and he would never hear the end of it from Cesc.

 

Gerard goes home and instead of doing his homework, he takes Sergio’s business card and looks him up. He scrolls through his Instagram and Twitter. They’re mostly links to his blog posts though he’ll take pictures of free stuff different brands send when he gets them as teasers for upcoming blog posts or Youtube videos. His blog is called “An Urban Cufflink” and it seems popular enough. The layout is really sleek and professional. Sergio clearly takes this very seriously and puts in the effort to make it something good. He follows him on Instagram and decides that’s probably enough snooping for the day.

 

Gerard is invited to the new Salvatore Ferragamo fragrance launch by Neymar who interns for them in their New York office. It was actually Leo who was invited but he turned down the invitation and offered up Gerard instead. Gerard’s not into it really—it’s too sweet smelling for him—but Ferragamo is known for its more exciting launch parties so Gerard decides he doesn’t mind going. The Gramercy Park Hotel is always a swanky venue. The weather is good, so the party is out on the rooftop terrace. It’s gorgeous naturally with the plants all around and the view of the city. Neymar has gone off to talk to his coworkers and bosses leaving Gerard alone. He makes his way to the bar. A drink to start off the evening seems like a good idea though maybe just a beer instead of something harder. 

He looks around as he waits for the bartender to get his beer. Maybe he shouldn’t be surprised when he spots Sergio in a black and white stripped button-down shirt, black jacket and tight fitting jeans—he is a fashion blogger who’s probably got good contacts—but Gerard’s still slightly startled by it. He never did end up picking up the phone to call him in the two weeks since they saw each other at the Korean BBQ but avoiding Sergio all night for that reason seems like an unnecessary hassle. He gets his beer and moves to the edge of the bar, leaning against the counter, watching Sergio. He’s talking to a blonde woman in a knee length black bodycon dress. They’re standing close and she touches Sergio’s forearm familiarly. Gerard realizes he has no idea if Sergio is bi. It’s not that strange considering they haven’t really spoken much but he had just assumed that he was gay. He smiles wryly to himself. Everyone knew what they said about assuming. 

Sergio finishes speaking and kisses the woman on the cheek before she moves away. He looks around him and his eyes meet Gerard’s. He’s obviously surprised, his eyes go wide briefly, but then they narrow with a smile and he comes over to where Gerard is still standing against the bar. 

“Fancy meeting you here,” Sergio says when he’s close enough. He pulls Gerard into a hug, pressing a kiss to his cheek then steps back. “You never called me.”

Gerard shrugs. “I was busy.”

Sergio actually looks disappointed to hear that as though he can tell that Gerard isn’t really telling the truth. What was he going to call Sergio to tell him, anyway? It would probably end up being a booty call and he wasn’t sure whether that’s what Sergio had meant when he gave him his number. 

“That’s too bad,” Sergio says moving to lean against the bar, staring out into the crowd. “I never pegged you as the Salvatore Ferragamo type.”

Gerard raises his eyebrows and turns to look at Sergio who is still staring ahead. He’s surprised to find that Sergio’s made a judgement about the type of fragrance he likes. He wonders what else Sergio has assumed about him. “And what type did you peg me for?”

Sergio seems to consider for a moment. “Maybe a Tom Ford Neroli Portofino Forte. Or maybe a Fucking Fabulous?”

“Fucking Fabulous?” Did he really seem like the type to use something with such a ridiculous name?

“It’s honestly not as bad as it sounds,” Sergio says, turning to Gerard with a grin.

It dawns on Gerard that Sergio is only joking and he rolls his eyes with a smile.

Sergio inches closer and rests his hand on Gerard’s arm. “Do you wanna get out of here?”

Gerard hadn’t expected a proposition. Sergio looks at him expectantly, head slightly tilted with a small smile pulling at his lips. The sound of the room seems to dim as their eyes meet and Gerard can’t mistake the tension that sudden fills the air as anything but sexual.

“I haven’t been here that long. Besides shouldn’t you be . . . networking?” Gerard says.

Sergio smiles impishly and squeezes Gerard’s forearm slightly. “I think I’d much rather ah, network with you somewhere a little quieter.”

Gerard remembers the first time at his party or rather his body and mind remember because he really wants to kiss Sergio up against the bar and have their bodies press against each other. “My place or yours?”

Sergio releases Gerard’s arm and moves away from him slightly. Gerard didn’t realise how much he was enjoying that touch until it was gone. 

“You stay in the city right?” Sergio says.

Gerard nods wondering vaguely where Sergio lives as he thinks about how long it will take them to get to his apartment and the part where he gets to touch those many tattoos again, hopefully properly this time.

“Then yours.” Sergio gestures to the exit and begins to walk out.

Gerard wonders if it would be a problem if they left together but Sergio looks back after taking a few steps and raises his eyebrows questioningly. Gerard smiles and shakes his head at himself and pushes off from the counter to follow. 

 

The uber back to Gerard’s apartment is quiet. Geri texts Neymar to let him know he’s left and then it’s silence for the thirty minutes it takes to get back to the Upper East Side. He glances at Sergio who’s looking out the window and then looks out on his side into the night. He’s pretty sure his apartment is in all right condition for visitors. The cleaner was in the day before and he hasn’t done anything ridiculous to make a mess yet. Not that he remembers anyway. A hand brushes against his own that’s lying on the seat between them and he looks down to see Sergio’s hand resting against his own. When he looks up, Sergio smiles at him but he doesn’t say anything and Gerard doesn’t have anything to offer. So they sit that way, tension still palpable between them, until they reach the building.

 

Gerard lives on the third floor in an apartment owned by his parents that they let him use while he’s in school. The dorms at Columbia are terrible so he’s glad they didn’t force him to have a “real college experience” or whatever they tried to call it when they were asking where he wanted to live at the end of high school. 

He gives Sergio a short tour when they get upstairs: kitchen, living room, bathroom. Sergio doesn’t make any moves until they hit the bedroom, but once they’re there he doesn’t waste any time. He smiles as he pulls Gerard closer by his jacket.

“We’re on the same page, right?” Sergio says, wrapping his arms around Gerard’s neck.

“Definitely.” Gerard leans in and kisses him. Finally. He rests his hands on Sergio’s hips and pulls Sergio flush against him as he kisses back. The kiss deepens quickly, tongues pressing together trying to gain the upper hand but neither of them give in. It doesn’t take long for Gerard’s body to catch up to what is definitely a steamy kiss. Sergio is good at kissing. The way his lips move against Gerard’s is delicious and Gerard only wants more of him. He unbuttons and pulls at Sergio’s jacket. There’s too many layers between them when all he really wants is skin. 

Sergio breaks away and steps back. Gerard isn’t thrilled by the lack of contact but Sergio takes off his jacket and begins unbuttoning his shirt. Gerard reduces the space between them and runs his hands up under the halfway unbuttoned shirt. Sergio’s skin is smooth. Gerard circles his thumb, feeling him until Sergio finishes unbuttoning the shirt and he can press his lips to the now exposed base of his throat, sucking lightly and pressing his tongue to the soft dip at the top of Sergio’s sternum. 

“It’s not fair if it’s just me, you know,” Sergio says. He sounds a little breathless.

Gerard sighs but quickly shrugs off his own jacket and lets it drop to the floor. He needs to get it dry cleaned anyway. He rushes through unbuttoning his shirt as Sergio finishes shrugging off his own. 

“What about these?” Sergio thumbs his Salvatore Ferragamo belt buckle.

Gerard nods ignoring that Sergio wore the brand to its own event. “Those too. Everything.” Having Sergio completely naked in his bed sounds like a very good idea right now. He rushes through taking off his own clothes but Sergio takes his time taking off his shoes and socks before he undoes his belt and shimmies out of his jeans. Gerard knows Sergio’s doing it like that on purpose so that Gerard can watch as he bends over to take off his trunks. Stripes to match his shirt. Gerard shakes his head but he doesn’t turn away. Why turn down a good show?

“Good?” Sergio asks when he’s done.

Gerard chooses to answer with a kiss, grabbing at Sergio’s ass and squeezing the muscle tightly. Sergio laughs into the kiss and pulls them both toward the bed until their legs hit the side and they scramble up, desperate to continue.

Gerard climbs on top of Sergio. He finally has access to those arms and his chest and it’s exciting if his dick is anything to go by. He runs his tongue down Sergio’s arm tasting the saltiness of his skin stopping at the band around his wrist. He sucks at his gently and laps at it with his tongue. He presses the joint of his thumb into the centre of the inside of his wrist. 

“You have a tattoo kink, huh?” Sergio says. He’s clearly turned on as well.

Gerard thinks for a moment. He can’t really remember having too much of a tattoo kink but something about Sergio’s tattoos sets him off. “Something like that.”

“Kiss me,” Sergio says. It’s just a touch below a command but still forceful and desperate. 

Gerard complies and presses his lips to Sergio’s, sliding his tongue into Sergio’s mouth and revelling in the low moan that Sergio lets out. He feels his dick twitch with desire. 

Sergio wraps his arms around Gerard’s neck and bends his legs, slotting them between Gerard’s and uses Gerard’s preoccupation with the kiss to roll them over. 

Gerard lands on his back in shock as Sergio smirks down at him.

“Don’t worry. I’ll give you something good,” Sergio says into Gerard’s ear before moving down his body. 

Sergio takes one of Gerard’s nipples into his mouth, sucks first gently and then hard as he simultaneously brings a hand to palm Gerard’s dick. Gerard groans and presses up into Sergio’s palm. Fuck. He was so horny and Sergio knew how to press the right buttons. Sergio switches from one nipple to the other leaving the first hard and red against Gerard’s chest. He wraps his hand around Gerard’s dick and strokes his slowly, paying more attention to the nipple. Gerard shudders in pleasure. It’s just on the right side of painful as Sergio sucks hard and nibbles slightly. When he stops, Gerard lets out a shaky breath. How was it that Sergio could undo him so easily?

“I promised you something good right?” Sergio kisses Gerard chastely on the mouth and then disappears below his waistline.

Gerard sucks in a deep breath the moment he feels Sergio’s lips touch the head of his dick. He lets out the breath in a groan as Sergio’s mouth engulfs him, warm and wet. It feels ridiculously good as Sergio bobs up and down, using his hand to pick up the slack. Gerard loves a good blowjob and Sergio’s technique is good. He’s definitely done this enough times to know what turns guys on. Sergio goes down and takes him into the back of his throat. There’s no gagging like when someone is trying too hard to impress him. He takes it carefully.

Gerard’s breathing is ragged by the time he feels that familiar pressure that means that he’s close. 

“I’m close.” It’s practically a murmur but he thinks that Sergio hears and understands him because he picks up the pace. Gerard’s hand tangles into Sergio’s hair trying to send him deeper as he pushes his hips up. Sergio holds him down as much as he can, controlling how much he takes. Gerard comes harder than her has in a while. His entire body pulses as it courses through him until he goes limp under Sergio, spent. 

Sergio sits back so Gerard can watch him swallow. Gerard breathes deeply at the sight of the bob of his throat. Sergio comes back up and they kiss. Gerard can taste his own cum and it’s so erotic and if he hadn’t literally just come he would be ready to all over again. 

“Was that all right?” Sergio asks, voice low.

“Very,” Gerard says, licking his lips and running his hands up and down Sergio’s sides. “Let me return the favour?”

Sergio rolls off of Gerard and onto his side. “Your hand is fine. I want to kiss you while you do it.”

That’s easy enough and Gerard likes kissing Sergio anyway. He turns onto his side as well and kisses Sergio deeply, putting a hand between them so he can grab Sergio’s dick. He swipes a thumb over the head, smearing the precum there before he moves his hand down, gripping Sergio’s dick and stroking. Sergio moans into the kiss gorgeously. Gerard could hear that every day, he thinks. 

Sergio clings to Gerard as he twists his wrist up and down trying his best to wring those beautiful sounds out of Sergio’s throat. Sergio comes far too quickly for Gerard. He strokes and kisses Sergio through his orgasm. He manages to contain it mostly into his hand but some spills onto the sheets. Nothing prepares Gerard for the sheer hotness of Sergio taking his hand and licking it clean of his own cum. Gerard never thought he was into that kind of thing but it makes him feel even warmer.

Sergio tangles their legs together and kisses Gerard. It’s a slow, sated kiss. Gerard pulls him closer to deepen the kiss. He likes kissing him. Sergio is good at it and it makes his knees weak even though he’s lying down.

“I should go soon. I have a photoshoot in the morning,” Sergio says.

He starts to roll away but Gerard tightens his grip around him. “It’s late. You should stay.” Gerard presses another brief kiss to Sergio’s lips. Gerard doesn’t want Sergio to go quite yet. Not when they could most likely have a repeat of fun. 

Sergio hums as he considers. “I suppose leaving early is better than being out this late. And it would be a shame to leave when I could be getting you off again.”

Gerard grins. “That was my thought exactly,” he says, kissing Sergio’s chuckling mouth.

 

Gerard is surprised at how easy it is to talk to Sergio as they lie in bed. Sergio asks him all kinds of silly questions.

Sergio rolls onto his side and looks at Gerard intensely. It’s not a look of desire, probably because they have just gotten off. It’s curious and interested and a smile quirks at the edge of Sergio’s mouth. “What’s your favourite colour?”

Gerard’s not sure why Sergio is asking but he considers the question anyway. “Red, I guess. Or maybe blue.”

“I like white,” Sergio said. “Though red is good too.”

Gerard had expected a reasoning behind the question not a corresponding answer. “Does white even count as a colour? Or is that some weird nationalist thing?”

Sergio makes the most disgusted sound Gerard has heard in a long time. “Don’t even joke about it. People like that are so gross.”

Sergio practically spits his words. It’s really passionate and Gerard respects it greatly but also thinks it’s a bit charming that he’s gotten so passionate over Gerard’s joke. 

The rest of the questions are in a similarly seemingly arbitrary vein. What is Gerard’s favourite food? What does he do in his free time? It would seem like an interrogation but Sergio responds to all of his own questions as well, so Gerard learns as much about Sergio as Sergio learns about him. 

Gerard also finds that Sergio is into these little touches and strokes on Gerard’s arm or stomach or chest. Gerard can’t say he’s ever lain in bed with someone so touchy but he can’t hate it when it comes with so much affectionate energy radiating off of Sergio. He ends up watching Sergio as they talk. The way Sergio’s blinking varies at times, getting quicker for three flickers or slower so that his eyes stay closed for a second longer. Or the way Sergio’s expression changes from a quiet smile to a grin or the open mouth of laughter or even the occasional serious expression. Gerard is very interested in it all even if he doesn’t understand why he’s so entranced by simple behaviours. 

Sergio’s hand ultimately begins to stroke and touch more deliberately and lower and Gerard realises it’s time to do something that requires a bit less talking and a lot more exciting uses of their mouths. 

 

Gerard wakes up with Sergio pressed up against his back, arm around his waist. He guesses it isn’t so bad being the little spoon. It’s kind of comforting.

“Morning,” Sergio says.

Gerard turns around to face Sergio. Sergio kisses him lightly on the side of the mouth with a smile and then rolls to the edge of the bed to sit up. 

“Do you have to go already?” Gerard says, yawning. 

Sergio gets up and starts putting back on his clothes. “My photographer needs to get done early because he has another shoot in the afternoon so I need to get home and take a shower and get ready and it’ll take me around an hour to get home.”

Gerard is sorry to see Sergio get dressed. After all, he looks so much better without clothes. 

“You should come,” Sergio says.

Gerard’s attention moves from taking in the quickly disappearing skin to Sergio’s face. “What? To the photoshoot?”

Sergio grins. “It’ll be fun. And we can grab lunch or brunch or whatever after. Or are you busy?”

It doesn’t sound like a bad idea to Gerard. He’s been to photoshoots before. Professional ones in a studio, sure, but not for a fashion blog on the street. It also sounds interesting to see Sergio in action. The photos on his blog are all crisp and well done. He remembers watching Sergio the previous night. It would be nice to see how Sergio models. 

“I’m not, but won’t I keep you back from getting ready?”

“I don’t mind waiting unless you’re going to take an hour to get ready,” Sergio says, sitting on the edge of the bed to finish buttoning up his shirt. 

Gerard laughs and rolls himself out of bed. “I’ll be done in no time.”

 

The subway carries them out to Brooklyn where Sergio lives in a studio in the basement of a walk-up. Sergio puts on some coffee for Gerard as he gets ready. It passes through Gerard’s mind for the second time that morning that taking a shower with Sergio sounds like an enticing prospect. He takes a sip from his hot coffee and tries to get the idea of Sergio’s wet skin out of his mind. 

They’re running late by the time Sergio finishes putting together his navy blue based floral ensemble so they call an Uber to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden where they’re supposed to meet Sergio’s photographer for the photoshoot. The weather is abnormally good for mid-March: sixty degrees and sunny, so Sergio is apparently taking the chance to do an early spring look. It seems a bit too obvious to Gerard to do a floral shoot in a botanical garden but Sergio explains that sometimes simple connections are the best. 

Sergio gets a text saying that his photographer is already there so they buy tickets and head inside to the herb garden which apparently has some cool structures to take pictures near and there will be less flowers to compete with Sergio’s shirt that was currently mostly hidden by a navy suit jacket.

They make their way through the botanical garden with Sergio reading the map they got from the entrance. The herb garden is on the other side of the place. It’s not spring yet so the trees are only green as they walk through what Sergio points out as the Cherry Walk. 

“Are these the cherry blossom trees then?” Gerard slows a little bit to look at the trees to see if he can see any buds but it’s still too early.

“Yeah. Have you never come to Sakura Matsuri before?” Sergio says.

Gerard shakes his head. “I’ve been to the one in D.C. but never here.”

“I think its next month. We should go. It’s not as big as D.C. but it’s really nice and cherry blossom trees are always beautiful. It’d be fun.”

“Yeah.” Gerard nods but his mind suddenly wants to know if Sergio was asking him on a date. Going to a festival seemed to be a very dating thing to do. Though, did that make this a date? He glances at Sergio out of the corner of his eye. His face is back right in front of the map and he doesn’t seem to notice that Gerard has stolen a look. They’re friends or as friends and two people who’ve had sex and met a grand total of three times could be friends. So something more like friends with benefits. He hadn’t had any indication of anything else from Sergio. 

“I think if we go through the Bluebell Wood straight ahead, it’s a short cut,” Sergio says.

His words bring Gerard’s attention back to their surroundings as he follows Sergio down a path with trees and a vast amount of bluebell flower leaves that Gerard thinks looks like long grass. 

“I bet this is would make a really romantic date when they’re all flowering,” Sergio says, his voice wistful.

“You’ve never come to see it?” To Gerard, Sergio seems like the type who would bring a partner to see something spectacular like the height of bluebell bloom, so it’s surprising to hear him speak with longing like that.

Sergio laughs softly. “Never had anyone to bring to something romantic really.”

Gerard looks over at Sergio who stares straight ahead though he must notice Gerard staring at him. He wants to tell Sergio that they should come together to see it. It’s probably just as romantic to go watching cherry blossoms but there wasn’t such a discussion around it and Gerard’s not so sure the obvious implications of such an invitation will go down well. He wonders what it would be like to date Sergio, what type of boyfriend he would be. Probably affectionate, if their interaction until now were any indication. 

“Now we make a left and it should be on our right when we pass the rock garden, I think,” Sergio says.

Gerard sighs. He’s been too lost in thought today.

“Are you all right?” 

Gerard turns to Sergio to find him looking over. 

“You sighed.” Sergio looks at him expectantly waiting for an explanation.

Gerard hadn’t realised his sigh had been audible. He fights another reflexive sigh. “I was just thinking about something.”

Sergio frowns. “Are you bored? Regretting waking up early and following me all over Brooklyn?”

Gerard would wonder if Sergio was joking if he wasn’t looking so worried about Gerard’s answer. Gerard laughs a bit because that was definitely not what he was thinking but also to placate Sergio who seems satisfied or at the very least doesn’t pry any further. 

They reach the herb garden in silence. Gerard is a bit worried that Sergio is worried about earlier but Sergio gives him a bright smile as they turn into the area.

Just at the entrance to the path is a guy who looks like he’s probably Sergio’s photographer as he fiddles with a huge camera with a black bag at his feet. He’s wearing a dark green soft looking hoodie and jeans and his head of dark curls stands free on his head. He only notices them when they finally stop in front of him. 

“Sergio! Finally,” the man says, hugging Sergio briefly. He receives a kiss on the cheek from Sergio in the bargain. 

“Marcelo, this is Gerard. Gerard this is Marcelo. He takes photographs for me when he has free time,” Sergio says, gesturing toward each of them in turn.

Marcelo tilts to the side ever so slightly as he observes Gerard and puts out a hand for Gerard to shake. Gerard takes it firmly. Something tells him that Marcelo won’t respect him if he doesn’t put in a good performance. 

“Nice to meet you,” Gerard says.

Marcelo smiles at him and it seems genuine, if not a bit mischievous as he glances at Sergio. “Same here.” 

After introductions, Sergio and Marcelo talk for a bit about people and things that Gerard doesn’t understand. Sergio tries to explain some of it but it’s not as successful and he probably means it to be. 

Marcelo has the idea to take the pictures in front of the wooden frames that go over the main walkway. There are people around but they walk around them and they try to find a spot that inconveniences people the least. Gerard watches as Sergio fixes his jacket lapels and collar and tugs down his shirt sleeves underneath it. The shoot is pretty basic. They can’t set up lighting or anything, but Marcelo seems to know what he’s doing as he orders Sergio around. 

“Yeah, Sergio. Just like that. Now put your head down a little more. Now up. Look at me. Now smoulder. Pretend I’m naked in your bed.”

Sergio’s mostly serious countenance breaks into a grin.

“You’re not supposed to laugh,” Marcelo says, sounding exasperated, “You’re supposed to smoulder more. I mean, this is me we’re talking about. But good enough I guess.”

Gerard watches Marcelo give his instructions, some bordering on obscene which makes him look around nervously for any children with their parents. A few people look over but no one seems to pay them much attention. It’s not massively busy at half past ten in the morning even if it is a Saturday. Once he realises that no one is going to stop them, he finds is funny the way Sergio interprets Marcelo’s instructions seriously and manages to only laugh now and then. They must do this exact thing every time. Soon enough he becomes engrossed in watching Sergio as he turns and smiles or looks serious. Everything looks fluid and natural. Gerard’s not much of a model himself. He’s tried a bit being tall and knowing the right people but it’s difficult for him to not look like he’s trying. He would have to see the pictures first, but he’s sure that Sergio succeeds. 

They take a break after fifteen minutes. Sergio doesn’t need a massive amount of pictures from what Gerard remembers of his website but apparently he likes to have a lot to choose from. 

“I forgot how hot sixty degrees is with the sun blaring down on you, especially when you’ve been cold and bundled up all winter,” Sergio says. He stretches out his arms to the side and tilts his face up to take in the sun’s rays. 

Gerard goes closer. The sun hits Sergio’s face and he glows in it, looking relaxed. Gerard smiles to see him happy. They haven’t know each other too long but Gerard likes him. He’s not sure how much. That’s something that needs a good sit down and some time to think but he’s pretty and kind and seems good at what he does. He would probably be something of a catch to anyone.

Sergio opens his eyes and returns Gerard’s smile. “Let’s look around while Marcelo is playing with that camera.” He doesn’t wait for Gerard to respond, just tells Marcelo they’ll be back in a few and walks off.

Gerard naturally follows. The herb garden is pretty big for what it is. There are so many plants growing and some trees as well. It’s wild to think that all of them are used in cooking somewhere. 

“Brown or Indian mustard. Brassica juncea,” Sergio says, leaning over slightly to read a label. “If I was a frog, I would definitely hide in there.”

It’s such a strange thing to say that Gerard can’t help but look over puzzled from where he’s standing next to Sergio. 

Sergio just laughs. “What? Doesn’t it look like it would be nice and cool and moist in there? Perfect for a frog. And you’d blend in with all that green.”

“Me?”

Sergio laughs harder, holding his stomach and nods until he can get his laughing a bit under control. “Yeah. You. You’d make a great frog.”

Gerard is torn between laughing himself and being offended and it ends up with him smiling and shaking his head in disbelief at their conversation. “Are you calling me ugly?”

“Ugly? I happen to think frogs are really cute,” Sergio says with a grin.

“Does that mean you think I’m cute then?”

Sergio leans to the side and bumps Gerard’s shoulder lightly with his own. “Maybe,” he says and then looks away bashfully, running a hand through his hair.

All Gerard can do is stare because if anyone is cute, it’s definitely Sergio right at this moment and it’s caught what seems like both of them by surprise. He opens his mouth to say something but closes it because everything he can think of is either clichéd or just plain boring. If this was a movie, it would probably be a good time to kiss Sergio but it’s not a movie and they’re in an herb garden with other people milling about. 

“Let’s head back,” Sergio says. He touches Gerard’s arm for an instance and gives him a tug back in the direction where Marcelo is waiting.

Gerard swears he can see the faintness of a blush on Sergio cheeks as he walks past. 

 

The rest of the photoshoot goes quickly. Sergio takes off his jacket and though he looks slightly too cool in just that, he takes it well and the pictures come out great from what Gerard sees on the camera screen when Sergio runs through them with Marcelo.

“Ok!” Sergio claps his hands excitedly. “I’m hungry!”

“I can’t stay. I have to get to the afternoon job, but you two have fun,” Marcelo says, taking apart his camera and putting it back into its case in his bag.

Gerard doesn’t see what passes between Marcelo and Sergio but all of a sudden Sergio scowls and it’s followed up by a hearty laugh from Marcelo, who finishes up and swings his bag onto his back to head out. He and Gerard shake hands.

“I’m sure I’ll see you again and next time I’ll enlist your help and he can get Sergio to smoulder a little more.”

Sergio glares at Marcelo and flips him off. Marcelo only laughs as he walks away and Gerard struggles to keep in a laugh of his own.

“Anyway, now that that’s over, let’s get something to eat. I’m fucking starving,” Sergio says.

They decide to check out the restaurant in the botanical garden after Sergio makes known a few more times how hungry he is. The restaurant is right behind the conservatories. And the buildings distract Sergio from food as he looks at them intrigued. 

“Maybe we should eat first. They’re not going anywhere,” Gerard says.

Sergio looks a bit sad but agrees because he is “really really freaking hungry” as he puts it. So instead of entering one of the conservatory pavilions, they head into the Pink Cherry Café. The café has just opened for the day so there aren’t many other people yet though Gerard has no doubt it will get full soon enough. 

The menu isn’t long but there is variety. Gerard gets a bit distracted by the wrinkle in Sergio’s forehead as he tries to decide what to eat. It’s kind of cute. So when the server comes up to them, he’s not even sure what he wants to drink yet. Sergio gets a mimosa so Gerard hurriedly gets the same, not wanting make the server wait. She smiles at them and then lets them continue to look over the food on the menu.

“Mustard greens? Isn’t that what we saw in the herb garden?” Sergio turns his menu to Gerard and points out the menu item he’s talking about.

“I think so? I don’t think they were ‘baby’ or ‘purple’ but it’s probably similar,” Gerard says, looking back to his own menu, trying to decide between the lamb and the tacos. He finds himself wondering how it would look to eat tacos in front of Sergio, whether that would be too unrefined and has to stop himself. First of all, this wasn’t a date. At least, no one had said it was a date and Sergio seemed so casual about everything that it probably wasn’t. Secondly, if Sergio didn’t like the way he ate tacos then he probably shouldn’t even be on the list of people he should go on a date with. Not that he wanted to go on a date with Sergio. Right? Ugh. He hated feeling unsure of his feelings, especially when he had a suspicion he was just hiding from his own truth, but he would deal with that later when he was home and could think properly.

“Do you know what you want to eat?” 

Gerard looks up from staring blankly at his menu. Sergio is looking at him, face resting in the palm of one hand. It's a ridiculous thought but he can’t help but wonder if Sergio can read his mind. God, he hopes he can’t. 

“I’ll get the tacos.”

Sergio immediately calls over the server so they can order. She comes over with their mimosas at the same time. Sergio orders his greens with chicken and Gerard orders the tacos.

“Did you want the mushroom, fish or steak tacos?” the server asks.

Gerard freezes for a moment. He hadn’t thought of that. He runs all the options through his head. Fish would probably make his breath smell and steak might get stuck in his teeth. He curses himself for thinking about the best food if he needs to make out with Sergio later.

“Mushroom,” he says quickly. Sergio better not be a mind reader because his mind would only embarrass him today.

“Are you vegetarian?” Sergio says after the server is gone.

Gerard looks at him, confused. “No.”

“It’s just you ordered mushroom tacos so I wondered.”

“I just felt like mushrooms.” Gerard feels like an idiot. Really he should eat whatever he wants but his mind keeps thinking ridiculous things. 

Luckily, Sergio doesn’t seem to question his answer. He just nods as though he understands that sometimes people get cravings for mushrooms. 

It doesn’t take long for the food to arrive, probably because there’s still not many people yet. There are more than there were when they got there. Some of the tables are full now but it’s still only about half of the small restaurant. 

Gerard kind of wishes he had gotten the steak when the tacos are placed in front of him but when he bites into one it actually tastes really good. There’s avocado in there and it’s creamy and delicious. Sergio seems happy as he eats his mustard greens as well. There’s cheese and candied pistachios sprinkled over the top and it actually doesn’t look as bad as mustard greens sound upon first hearing them.

“Do you want to try some?” Sergio says.

Gerard pauses eating his tacos and swallows. “Why not?” He goes to lift his fork when Sergio puts some on his own fork and reaches across the table with it for Gerard to try. Gerard’s eyes go wide and he can feel embarrassment creeping up on him. This wasn’t a date.

“Come on.” Sergio gestures with the fork for him to eat.

Gerard reluctantly brings his mouth to the fork and takes the food offered to him into his mouth. Sergio grins happily and Gerard feels himself blushing, hoping it’s not too noticeable. He barely tastes the greens.

Sergio eats quickly, proving that he really was hungry and Gerard doesn’t take much longer to finish his tacos. He had evidently been hungry as well. Gerard offers to pick up the tab but Sergio is adamant that he invited Gerard so they end up splitting fifty-fifty. 

Sergio is visibly excited about the conservatory pavilions as they leave the restaurant. He’s practically hopping to go see them and begs Gerard to go with him even though he doesn’t have to because Gerard has assumed that was the plan in the first place. There are three pavilions. Sergio has already decided which order he wants to see them in from looking at them earlier. Gerard just follows. 

First is the Desert Pavilion. Sergio is rightly awed by the amount of cacti as is Gerard.

“It really is a desert in here,” Sergio says.

Gerard keeps his comment about stating the obvious to himself and just stands back a bit and watches Sergio read the different plant labels. It’s nice to see him so interested in reading every single one.

Sergio turns to him and pouts. “Don’t look at me like that. I know it’s obvious. It’s called the Desert Pavilion and everything but you don’t believe it until you see it, you know?”

Gerard has no idea he is looking a certain way but it’s still funny that Sergio could read him that well and the pouty expression on Sergio’s face is pricelessly exaggerated and it makes him laugh. He tries to cover his mouth in case Sergio is offended by it but it seems to be the opposite. Sergio looks like he’s enjoying making Gerard laugh.

“Good. You look a little happier,” Sergio says coming closer to stand next to him.

“Did I look unhappy?” Gerard is surprised. He’s not sure how he was giving off that impression because he is having fun. Sure he isn’t a huge plant person but Sergio is enjoying himself so much that it’s pleasant to see. “I’m having fun just watching you,” he says honestly.

Sergio looks a bit stunned by his response and it’s a moment before he seems to catch himself. “Oh. You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m sure.” Gerard grins and rests a hand on Sergio’s shoulder. Maybe he had been a bit bold there but it was better to just roll with it now than get embarrassed, right? 

“All right then,” Sergio says softly. 

He seems to be avoiding looking Gerard straight in the eyes and it’s kind of adorable because he’s obviously slightly embarrassed by Gerard’s statement. If Sergio was his boyfriend, he would definitely kiss him right now. The pavilion was practically empty and Sergio was acting cute but before he can decide whether he should take the gamble anyway, the door opens and Sergio moves away and the chance is gone.

As they move through the rest of the Desert and then the Warm Temperate Pavilions, Gerard watches Sergio and thinks about Sergio’s strange mix of boldness, especially sexually and then the times he has been embarrassed that day. Maybe he’s embarrassed because he doesn’t want Gerard to get the wrong idea or maybe he’s embarrassed because he likes him. Obviously the best way to solve this puzzle would be to ask but Gerard is never good at being straightforward when it comes to matters of the heart. His dick, sure. He knows how to let someone know that he wants to get down and dirty but he isn’t sure how to deal with actual feelings. He hasn’t really had a proper boyfriend since high school. He’s had friends with benefits but no one that he would go on actual dates with. This might be the first time he’s even thought about dating someone in years.

The Tropical Pavilion is the largest and the one Sergio saves for last. It’s definitely warm like the tropics and there’s green foliage all around them and it smells of greenery more than the previous two pavilions. Gerard’s phone rings in the quiet space. He takes it out and looks at who is calling: Leo. What timing. He’s never hear the end of it if Leo knows he’s been with Sergio all night and then this morning. He rejects the call and puts it back in his pocket only for it to ring again. He’s about to silence the call again and then the phone completely when Sergio speaks up from where he’s stopped a few steps away on a bridge.

“You can answer it. I don’t mind.”

Gerard sighs. He doesn’t want to but it’s true Leo that Leo will be even more suspicious if he doesn’t answer. He accepts the call and puts the phone to his ear, watching Sergio lean over the wooden railing.

“Hey, Leo. What do you want?”

“Let’s go to lunch. I’m hungry and my fridge is empty,” Leo says. 

He doesn’t want to tell Leo that he’s busy but he has no choice. “I’m in the middle of something. Go get some groceries.”

“Are you with a guy?” Leo’s voice audibly perks up.

“Leo, how about brunch tomorrow?” He tries to sound as stern as possible because he really doesn’t want Leo to gossip with Cesc about this.

“Is it Sergio?”

Gerard is shocked that Leo would guess so easily.

Leo laughs apparently guessing Gerard’s surprise when he doesn’t answer. “Neymar says he saw you leaving with some guy that matched Sergio’s description last night. Oh my god. I can’t believe you’re still with him. It’s like half past twelve. Are you guys dating? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Leo. We’re not dating. We’re just friends now leave me alone.”

“Whatever you say. Brunch tomorrow at Barceloneta at one. Don’t be late.”

“Nosy little shit,” Gerard mutters after Leo hangs up with a gleeful laugh. It’s to be expected. Neymar can’t keep anything from Leo even if Gerard had remembered to ask him to not tell Leo he had left the party early. 

“Is everything all right?” Sergio asks coming over.

Gerard nods and smiles. “Yeah. Just Leo.”

“Listen, did you want to come over after this? We forgot to have dessert and I’m pretty sure I have some ice cream in the fridge if you like either chocolate or coffee flavour,” Sergio says.

Gerard congratulates himself on his good breakfast choice because he can tell from Sergio’s eyes and the slight upturn on his mouth that making out is most definitely on the menu. “I’d love dessert.”

“Great. Now let’s finish up here so we can get you something sweet.”

 

Gerard ends up sleeping over at Sergio’s. He has to leave a bit early to get home and change so he doesn’t look like he didn’t come from home for brunch with Leo. He’s probably going to tell Leo anyway but he doesn’t need any jokes about the dick being so good he couldn’t even make it home to change. 

“It was really good spending time with you,” Sergio says when he sees Gerard off at his door.

“You too.” 

Gerard isn’t sure how to say goodbye. Should he just leave or give him a hug or even a kiss? What do each of those signify and why does he keep thinking about it so much? Sergio makes the decision for him and gives him a sloppy, deep kiss that momentarily makes Gerard wonder whether Leo and then homework are completely necessary. 

“Don’t be late now,” Sergio says, pushing Gerard lightly out the door. 

“Yes, Sir.” 

Gerard can hear Sergio laughing before he closes the door as he makes his way to the stairs.

 

After a shower and a change of clothes, Gerard walks Barceloneta where he and Leo are meeting for brunch. It’s a tapas bar that does brunch and is only five minutes away on foot. Leo is already there, seated at a two person table against the wall. He must have made a reservation after they spoke yesterday. Leo waves at him as he enters the restaurant and makes his way over.

Gerard sits down as inelegantly as he can even though it he knows it won’t put Leo off from prying. Leo isn’t a gossip about anything until it comes to Gerard or Cesc’s business. Gerard wishes Leo would just leave it because he still hasn’t had time to go home and process the weekend but he knows that Leo is just giving as good as he always gets whenever he goes on a date. 

“So Geri, how was your weekend?” Leo says, smiling mischievously.

“Fine thanks,” Gerard says, picking up his menu even though they’ve been here so many times that he knows what he wants. He shouldn’t do the boozy brunch if he’s being honest but he’s sure there’s going to be messaging with Cesc at some point during this interrogation and he can always take a nap before he starts on his homework later.

“You spent the night with him again, didn’t you,” Leo says. It’s a question in terms of sentence structure but it’s definitely laid out as a fact when it leaves Leo’s mouth. 

The server saves Gerard from answering right then. They both get the set brunch with sangria and choose their food right away. 

“Yeah. We did some nasty stuff and then I left to come here. Anything else you need to know?” Gerard tries his best to sound as nonchalant as possible but he knows Leo and Cesc will think it’s a big deal. He doesn’t usually spend time like that with people he’s sleeping with.

“Damn. Cesc should really be here to hear this straight from the source. And you’re not dating?”

“You don’t have to be dating to sleep with someone and have lunch with them, Leo.”

Sangria arrives quickly and Gerard takes a few gulps. He shouldn’t be feeling nervous. What he said is true but he knows that Leo is eventually going to ask if he wants to date Sergio. Maybe he’s starting to think that he does but he doesn’t know how to be a boyfriend really. Does Sergio even think of Gerard in that way?

“You haven’t had a boyfriend since you and Cesc tried to date for like two weeks in high school right?” Leo says sipping his own sangria.

Gerard shrugs and avoids Leo’s attentive gaze by staring at the wall behind him. “I guess.”

Leo hums thoughtfully and drumming an index finger on the table. “You like him right? I mean, sometimes I think you go out of your way to avoid the guys that are most definitely throwing themselves at you.”

“No one throws themselves at me,” Gerard says, incredulously.

Leo rolls his eyes dramatically and leans back in his seat. “I can name like three at least this term alone including Marc who is absolutely in love with you since last semester.”

Gerard frowns and hides once more behind his glass. “That’s definitely not true. They’ve wanted to sleep with me, yeah. No one has even vaguely tried to date me. I’m not nearly as oblivious as you. Besides, isn’t he a freshman?”

Leo lets out a disgusted sound. “He’s eighteen, Geri. And that’s because everyone thinks you’re not interested so they settle for your bed. I mean, I had kind of assumed you were aromantic or something but are you interested? Because we could get you a boyfriend in like two seconds flat.”

“Interested? In someone I know and have probably slept with? Not particularly.” Gerard wrinkles up his nose just a bit. None of the guys he knew that were single were remotely interesting. “What did you mean when you said you thought I was aromantic?”

“Well, aromantic. Like when you don’t have romantic feelings for people. But I guess you could be like grey-romantic or something. Like where you don’t experience romantic feelings much just every now and then,” Leo says.

Was that what he was? Aromantic? He’d never thought about it before, that it was actually a thing that could happen, not having romantic feelings or not having them often. “How do you know all this anyway?”

Leo looks a bit bashful then. “Well, I came across it once and I figured it sounded a bit like you so I did some research to prepare for being supportive if you ever came out, you know?”

Gerard looks straight at Leo. “That’s actually really nice. Thanks. I’m still not sure I get it completely but thanks.”

Leo grins. “Now, back to business, do you like Sergio?”

“I . . .” Gerard trails off. He wants to say he doesn’t like Sergio but he’s inclined to think that’s not true.

“It’s fine to like people, you know, Geri,” Leo says. There’s a sympathetic tone to his voice like he understands Gerard’s current inner turmoil.

“I just don’t know. He’s so friendly with everyone so it’s definitely possible that he just wants to be friends.”

Leo looks serious now. “Has he given you any hints to make you think that he might like you more than that?”

Gerard shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe. He said I was cute and then he blushed when I said I liked watching him but that’s not really anything. I’m probably just reading too much into everything.”

“Well, you could just ask him.”

Gerard shakes his head. “No way.” He wasn’t going to make a fool of himself when he couldn’t even figure out whether he actually wanted to date Sergio or not. Though didn’t this conversation indicate that he did? Ugh. Gerard buries his face in his hands and wipes them down his face.

The food thankfully arrives and Leo backs down. He types off something on his phone, mostly likely to Cesc and they begin to eat. 

 

The group chat with Cesc and Leo blows up for an hour after he gets home. He answers the questions Cesc has that Leo can’t answer, or at least the ones that aren’t totally obscene, which thankfully are few because he needs to take a nap before he can do his homework. Not that he’s never done homework tipsy before. Instead of homework though, as his phone continues to vibrate madly next to him, he looks up what he and Leo were talking about on his laptop. “Aromantic” and “Grey-romantic.” The definitions do sound like him. But then there’s Sergio and if he does like him, does that just make him romantic or is he grey-romantic? He is too tipsy for this right now.

He goes to sleep at four and wakes up at seven. Perfect time to get some homework done for Monday and maybe a bit for Tuesday as well. Two messages are waiting for him. The first is from his mother asking how his weekend was and why he hasn’t been home in a few weeks—actually one week—when they live in the same neighbourhood. He tells her he’ll be over after class on Wednesday since he knows she usually doesn’t have any engagements then. The second is from Sergio and much more interesting. 

_I had a good weekend. Let’s do it again sometime._

Gerard feels the flutter of butterflies in his stomach and groans. He’s never really fallen for someone before. Not like this. He vaguely remembers crushes in high school but he was never sure whether they were actually real or just influenced by everyone else expecting him to have them. But they had never felt like this. This was definitely a real crush. 

_Just say when._

 

Grey-romantic. Gerard thinks about that word and Sergio quite a lot when he’s not involved with anything else. He discusses the former a bit with Leo who is very supportive and seems knowledgeable, having read up on it in the past. It’s very much a “so that explains it” feeling but he’s also hesitant to use it for some reason. Maybe partially because people won’t understand. Everyone got that he was as gay as a rainbow but aromantic much less grey-romantic definitely would draw a lot of criticism from his family and friends. He does call Cesc. He thinks about using the group chat but decides against it. Even though it was Leo who brought it up in the first place, he wants to talk to Cesc by himself. 

“Yeah. Leo asked me something like that about you before,” Cesc says when he explains that he might be something call grey-romantic. 

Gerard isn’t surprised that Leo would discuss it with Cesc. A part of him wonders why Leo never mentioned it until now but he understands that it was probably Leo not wanting to pressure him to come out to them before he was ready, unaware that Gerard actually had no idea what it was before he brought it up.

“You know Leo and I will support you no matter what, right?”

“I know,” Gerard says with a relieved laugh. He never doubted that would be Cesc’s response but hearing it is good anyway.

“That explains why you didn’t jump at the chance to date a catch like me,” Cesc says.

“Ugh. You’re impossible.” Gerard groans but it’s so obvious that Cesc is joking that he can’t help but laugh and that prompts laughter from the other end of the phone call as well.

 

Gerard and Sergio text often. It turns into nearly every day but Gerard doesn’t mind. He does the same with Leo and Cesc in the group chat but this is different. Even he notices that he gets excited when Sergio’s name shows up on his phone even if it’s something simple like “Good Morning.” Leo always giggles and teases Gerard when it happens and he’s around like it’s the most amusing thing to see Gerard’s face light up when his phone goes ding.

They have phone sex once and Gerard discovers that Sergio’s dirty voice is quite good at helping him get off even when he’s not present. They meet up twice during Sergio’s spring break at the end of March. Gerard wonders if he’s sending the wrong signals each time he accepts Sergio’s advances and has sex with him but he doesn’t want to say no to him either since that might give him the wrong idea as well.

As much Gerard says shit about Leo being untrustworthy for relationship advice, he’s probably the most romantic of everyone he knows. Cesc is just Cesc and he’s probably not a bad boyfriend but he’s also least likely to take this seriously. Of course he could ask someone else entirely for advice but Leo seems safest. 

Gerard texts Leo after class. _If you liked someone and you kept sleeping with them but it never went beyond that, would you think they weren’t interested in dating you?_

_depends. are you talking about sergio?_ Leo’s reply comes almost instantly. 

_Who else would I be talking about?_

Leo sends three laughing emojis. _just checking. why don’t you just tell him you like him? it would be a lot easier. or is the sex so good you don’t want to give it up?_

Gerard actually has to think about that one. Is he worried that Sergio will reject him and he’ll lose access to sex with him? There are lots of other people he can have sex with, if that was what he was after. _I don’t think so._

_telling people you like them isn’t that bad, you know. they either like you or they don’t and if they don’t then sticking around pining is never going to get you what you want._

Gerard frowns because Leo actually makes sense. _Look at you saying useful stuff._

_just for you._

Gerard thinks about what Leo said but he’s not sure how to go about it. Does he just call or text and say, “Hey do you wanna be my boyfriend?” or something? In the movies, things like this are always dramatic and meaningful. There’s something attractive about that last option. He wonders if he can find out when the bluebells will bloom in the botanical garden. It’s probably disgustingly romantic but he thinks that if Sergio does end up liking him back, he would appreciate the thought.

 

Sergio invites Gerard to another photoshoot a few weeks after his classes have started up again. The term is winding down and they have to start studying a bit more and Sergio is working on designs for his Studio Art class and what seems to be a very involved jacket for his Jacket Tailoring class. Gerard has seen the sketches and it seems impossible for someone to wear something with that much material on it, but wearing it is the antithesis of the point according to Sergio. That confuses Gerard a bit but he’s not a fashion designer so what does he know.

They’re taking pictures at a mural in Little Italy. Sergio’s blue and red horizontal striped jacket over a white shirt with a blue collar and cuffs looks vaguely nautical in front of the mural of a ship. They’re out early to avoid the most people. Sergio’s promised Gerard lunch as a reward for getting up at eight thirty in the morning to make it here for nine thirty. There are still some people walking the street but everyone’s accustomed to photographers taking pictures in the city and people saying strange things so they don’t garner much attention.

Gerard stands back while Marcelo gives him instructions. 

“Come on, Sergio. You gotta look sexier than that. I wanna see you looking like you did last night,” Marcelo says snapping another picture and looking down at the camera.

The innuendo is obvious from Marcelo’s voice. Gerard finds himself a bit rankled by their easy banter. Marcelo turns to toward him and their eyes meet. Gerard looks away quickly. He hadn’t realised he had been staring.

“How’s that? Disappointed?” Sergio says with a laugh as he sticks a hand into his hair and tilts his head back for the next picture.

Marcelo is quieter for the rest of the shoot and it goes quickly. Marcelo keeps glancing back at Gerard and it makes him feel self-conscious. Gerard’s not sure what he’s done.

“Are you all right?” Sergio looks at Marcelo closely when they’re done.

Marcelo takes a step back and glances at Gerard so briefly he almost thinks he’s imagined it. “Yeah. I’m fine. Just hungry. I didn’t have breakfast.”

Sergio laughs and shakes his head. “You can come eat with us. I’m sure Geri doesn’t mind.”

Gerard really does like the way Sergio says his nickname. His stomach does that strange butterfly thing again. It’s uncomfortable but he can’t do much about it when he’s clearly gone on Sergio. 

Marcelo barks a laugh as he packs up. “No way. I’ll leave you two love birds alone. Thanks for the offer though.” 

When Marcelo is gone, Sergio rolls his eyes. “He’s such an idiot. Don’t listen to anything he says.”

Gerard can’t help but feel some disappointment at that. Sergio is bothered by being associated with Gerard romantically. Maybe telling Sergio he likes him is a mistake. Before he can ruminate more, Sergio wraps an arm around his shoulder amicably. 

“Where should we eat this fine Sunday?”

Gerard looks at his watch and allows his body to soak up some of Sergio’s warmth as he presses against him. He feels a bit dirty for taking pleasure in something that he’s sure Sergio means as just friendly but he can’t help it. 

“Well, it’s nearly ten so by the time we make it there it’ll be around ten thirty. Do you like tapas?” Gerard says.

Sergio looks at him like he’s out of his mind. “Of course I do. Tapas brunch sounds great.”

Gerard prays that they don’t run into Leo there. He should probably have picked somewhere else but he wants to take Sergio to somewhere he likes and show him one of his usual haunts, even if he might be getting ahead of himself by doing that. 

Thirty minutes into brunch and he thinks he’s safe. They’ll finish in another thirty minutes maybe and then head back to Gerard’s and do whatever they feel up to. But things never work out easily when you want them to because Leo walks in with who else but Francesc fucking Fàbregas in the flesh who Gerard hasn’t seen since his birthday party and who Gerard definitely had no idea would be in town. The shock on Cesc’s face as he spots Gerard is priceless but the smirk that replaces it a few seconds later as he points him and Sergio out is disgusting. Leo turns with surprise from the server at the door but then he waves happily. Sergio must notice Gerard quickly souring mood because he turns around to the entrance. 

“Oh. That’s Leo right? And Cesc is with him? Doesn’t he go to Cornell?” Sergio turns back and looks fairly neutral which is distinctly less happy that the moment before when they were laughing together.

The table next to them in sadly empty and the server leads Cesc and Leo over probably by request. 

“Would you like me to put the tables together?” the server asks pleasantly, unaware that Gerard is going to murder his friends later. Though maybe murder is harsh for something that’s definitely his own fault.

“Yeah. That’d be great,” Cesc says.

The server pushes the two tables together and waits until Cesc and Leo are seated to take their drink order and then she leaves.

“Imagine meeting you here!” Cesc face as he speaks is absolutely gleeful and Gerard hates it.

“It’s good to see you again,” Sergio says politely. He kisses Leo’s cheek because he’s sitting next to him and then clasps hands with Cesc over the table. 

“I finally get to sit down with the friend who has Gerard ditching his old buds without a thought,” Cesc says.

“I didn’t even know you were coming down,” Gerard says, grumpily. 

Leo looks like he’s fighting back a laugh at Gerard’s behaviour. 

Gerard just wants to eat in peace with Sergio. But since that is out of the question, he hopes that Cesc doesn’t make any rude jokes about them. Oh please for the love of God let him hold his tongue just this once. 

“That’s because I’m here so we can gossip about you.” Cesc winks dramatically at Leo and Leo nods in agreement.

Gerard scoffs and rests his head in one hand facing away from the two brunch crashers. “You can do that over the phone.”

“But it’s so much more fun in person, Geri,” Leo says. He looks like he’s enjoying himself as well. 

Gerard’s mind registers with some satisfaction that Leo’s use of his nickname doesn’t make him nearly as pleased as Sergio doing it. He looks at Sergio to find him smiling as he continues eating his paella. Everyone seems to be having fun except him. This was a new development. He was actually upset at being forced to split his time with Sergio. Maybe if they saw each other more he wouldn’t mind but this was probably the last time they would see each other for a while. 

“I go to FIT,” Sergio says as Gerard’s mind catches back up to the conversation taking place in front of him.

“Did you take a gap year? You’re a year older than us right?” Cesc says without any shame whatsoever.

Gerard tries his best not to sigh audibly.

Sergio smiles kindly at the question and even gives a light laugh. “No. I graduated already but I realised I loved menswear so I went back to school.”

Cesc oohs as though he didn’t already know all this information from Gerard telling him in the group chat after he badgered him about it. He slaps his hand down on the table which usually indicates that he’s had a great idea. “You should make something for Geri.”

Sergio looks over to Gerard thoughtfully with a wisp of a smile on his face. “I should.”

Gerard feels warm under Sergio’s soft gaze. If these two weren’t here, he might confess immediately only for the chance of seeing that face more often. Cesc coughs and Gerard looks over to find Cesc and Leo looking at him slyly. Cesc nudges Gerard under the tables and Gerard is sure they’ve misinterpreted something.

“Are you ready for dessert?” the server asks when she comes with Leo and Cesc’s food.

Gerard hadn’t even realised they had ordered. 

“Yes, please. Churros con chocolate for both of us please,” Sergio says. 

“Great,” the server says and takes away Gerard’s half eaten paella and Sergio’s empty plate. 

Gerard can see escape soon in their future. All they have to do is quickly eat their churros and they can leave these two to their gossip.

Cesc tastes a sip of his sangria and gets the conversation moving once more. “You know, Leo has a friend that wants to go to FIT next year.”

“Oh, you mean Neymar. Yeah. He’s really into fashion,” Leo says.

“I could talk to him if you want since I’ve already done it all,” Sergio says. 

Leo claps his hands together like that would be the best idea in the world. “I’m sure he’d really appreciate it.”

Gerard doesn’t like the idea of Neymar talking to Sergio but he’s so besotted with Leo that it probably wouldn’t be a problem. Jeez. When did he get so possessive? Is Sergio even the type who liked that kind of thing? Hopefully that part of this whole falling for someone thing will calm down sooner rather than later. He hates this jealous feeling. 

Cesc asks Sergio more questions about his studies in Florence and Milan and then about his family. Sergio seems to answer everything happily enough and that should make Gerard more comfortable that he is getting along with his friends but he still is delighted when the churros arrive. He’s happy to see that Cesc and Leo like Sergio from what he can tell and Sergio doesn’t show any signs of being completely annoyed with them and their grilling him, but he still wants to get out of here. They can hang out together more if Sergio ever becomes his boyfriend. 

Thankfully, churros are pretty quick to eat. Sergio takes a bit longer as he talks to Cesc and Leo who have totally ignored Gerard since the beginning of the conversation. As soon as Sergio is down to his last churro though, Gerard calls for the bill.

“Are you gonna leave us, Geri?” Cesc says, putting on his best disappointed voice. 

Leo joins in with a sad frown.

Gerard scowls at them. “We’ve interrupted your gossip long enough.”

Gerard is antsy as he waits for the server to come and bring the check and then take the card and then return with the receipt for him to sign. He can see out of the corner of his eye that Cesc and Leo seem thoroughly amused as they say goodbyes with Sergio. Sergio kisses them both on the cheek when he stands. 

“Enjoy your evening, Geri,” Cesc says cheerfully but Gerard can clearly hear the obscene yet probably entirely correct suggestion in his words. 

“They really love you a lot,” Sergio says when they finally make it outside.

Gerard sighs. “Sometimes I think their main goal in life is to annoy me as much as possible.” Especially now.

Sergio laughs and bumps into him purposefully and they walk. “I’m sure you give as good as you get when the time comes.”

Gerard smiles. “That I do. That I do.”

 

Sergio’s first class isn’t until two in the afternoon so he decides to spend the night when Gerard offers. It’s almost like a date as they watch a Harry Potter rerun on HBO under the covers together naked on the couch. Though watch is probably a loose term when kissing makes up seventy-five percent of it. Gerard wonders whether he should tell Sergio he likes him right then, but if he doesn’t return the feelings then being naked and pressed against each other on the couch will probably become awkward. Instead he makes a split second decision to go a more roundabout way.

“Do you have time next weekend? I know it’s finals soon but the bluebells are blooming right now and they probably won’t be for much longer and you said you wanted to see them.” Gerard says it all quickly and he wonders if Sergio’s even understood him.

Sergio sits up from where he’s leaning on Gerard and turns toward him. “What?”

“Do you want to go see the bluebells next weekend?” Gerard says.

Sergio is very quiet and then he smiles softly and leans back against Gerard. “Sure.”

Gerard releases a breath he hadn’t realised he was holding. First stage of the plan down. The next stage was the hard part.

 

Sergio invites Gerard to stay over the Friday night before they go see the bluebells. That this might be the last night they spend together is a very distinct thought in Gerard’s mind and it seems to overshadow that this could be the beginning of many more. The more he thinks about it, maybe it’s best to do this at home, away from people. Though somehow he thinks that people will keep it from being disastrous if it turns out badly. Gerard isn’t saying he absolutely will cry on his way home if he is rejected but he might and being in public might help him hold it in. 

They decide to go early when the botanical garden opens to avoid all the people and take in the bluebells. They get there a few minutes before opening and wait silently at the entrance until it opens and they can buy tickets. 

The cherry blossoms are in bloom as they walk through the Cherry Walk on the way to the Bluebell Wood. Sergio picks up a petal that’s on the ground and presses it to his forehead. It stays for a moment after his hand lets go and then floats to the ground.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” Sergio says spinning around. 

Gerard nods. The blooms on the trees are beautiful but seeing Sergio happy and enjoying himself is definitely even more spectacular. 

“Why don’t you look like you’re having fun then?” Sergio says coming up to him and looking him in the face.

“I am,” Gerard says with a smile. It’s nice the way Sergio wants to make sure he’s having a good time.

“You mean watching me?” 

“Yeah.”

Sergio huffs a little and turns toward the direction of the Bluebell Wood. “Saying things like that’ll give a guy that wrong idea, you know.”

Gerard’s eyes widen. “What?”

Sergio ignores him. “Let’s go see those bluebells. If they’re half as lovely as these trees, I’ll be satisfied.”

Gerard’s heart is beating faster. Did Sergio mean that he would think Gerard likes him? Did that mean that Sergio wants him to like him and that he likes him back? Well, this is the time to confess that he has been planning for. He walks quickly to catch up to Sergio who is approaching the end of the Cherry Walk and the beginning of the path through the Bluebell Wood.

“Wow, you can see them from here,” Sergio says quickening his pace.

Gerard matches it and they enter to wood at a brisk walk. 

Sergio stops in his tracks as they walk in. “Wow.”

Gerard acknowledges the beauty absentmindedly. There’s no one else there yet and the bluebells hang beautifully but his attention is on Sergio. 

“Do you remember what I said that time we were here before?” Sergio says after a moment of silence.

“That you bet it would be really romantic. Is it?” Gerard 

Sergio turns so that they’re facing each other again. “Why are we here, Geri?”

Gerard’s heart is ready to pop out of his chest. “You never really had someone to come here with right?”

“On a romantic date.”

Gerard nods. 

There’s another moment of silence as Sergio looks at him with a confused expression. “But—” Sergio stops speaking and a couple walks past them arm in arm. Sergio waits until they pass before he continues. “But you don’t date.”

“What?” Gerard remembers Leo mentioning that people thought that but he hadn’t realised that Sergio had heard it as well.

“That was what Monreal said when I asked him about you at your party. He said that everyone knows that you never date.” Sergio seems a bit agitated now.

“Well, he wasn’t really wrong,” Gerard said honestly.

The energy that was coming off of Sergio suddenly stops and his shoulders drop. “Oh.”

Gerard realises he’s said something a bit stupid considering what he’s going for in this situation. “No. I mean, I was never interested before. I guess, I’m kind of now figuring that I might be grey-romantic or whatever.”

“So like where you don’t experience romantic attraction often?”

“You know about it?” Gerard is surprised.

“Yeah. So . . . you experience it sometimes?” Sergio says sounding hopeful and that makes Gerard hope in turn.

Gerard takes a deep breath. “I never really had until now.”

“And by now you mean?”

“You.”

It’s such a strange conversation to be having among bluebells in the late morning in public, because even though there aren’t many people yet, they’re still outisde. But they’re both a bit too caught up for that fact to register. Gerard is waiting for Sergio to respond and Sergio’s mouth is open slightly as he looks down at the ground.

“So you have feelings for me?” Sergio says quietly.

“Yeah.” Gerard’s stomach is twisting into knots now in anticipation of Sergio’s answer that seems to be at the end of more questions and conversation.

Sergio looks back up into Gerard’s eyes seriously. “Since when?”

“Maybe since the first time we came here together.”

“And you never said anything?” Sergio’s expression softens.

Gerard tenses for the worst. “I didn’t know if you were interested in dating.”

Sergio comes closer to Gerard until he can rest his head on Gerard’s shoulder. “You should have said something.”

“Does that mean I’m too late?”

Sergio’s head snaps up and he looks confused. Gerard stares back at him, brow furrowed in something approaching sadness.

“No, you’re not too late, you big idiot. I like you and I most definitely want to date you.”

Gerard is somehow amazed to hear it. Really the whole conversation was probably leading to this conclusion but Gerard’s mind hasn’t wanted to build up too much hope just to have it dashed at the last moment. 

“I think this is the part where we kiss,” Sergio says cheekily. 

Yeah. Gerard thought so too. And so he wraps an arm around Sergio’s waist and kisses him hard, not caring who else is around. 

“I know I was in awe of the bluebells but this beats them by a mile,” Sergio says, grin plastered on his face.

Laughter comes from the bottom of the lane through the bluebells. Sergio steps back until Gerard can see his whole face again. He would much rather be close, preferably with less clothes between them as well.

Gerard shoves his hands in his pockets and tilts his head with a smile. “You wanna get out of here?”

“I thought you’d never ask.”

 

Cesc’s birthday party is at his NYC apartment. He’s apparently already had a Cornell party. Gerard takes Sergio with him. It seems as good a time to let Cesc and Leo know that he’s finally sorted out the situation with Sergio and successfully at that. He wonders if any of the guys who Leo says were throwing themselves at him will be upset, but he doesn’t have the mind to worry about something like that after Sergio kisses him in the elevator up to Cesc’s apartment. 

The party is just starting when they get there. Cesc is in the kitchen and Leo rushes to greet them at the door. 

“Congratulations!” Leo says popping a party popper in front of them. “You’re holding hands,” he says after a second. Gerard must have looked visibly stunned that he caught on so quickly.

Sergio laughs and squeezes Gerard’s hand. Gerard smiles at him prompting Leo to make a disgusted sound.

“I need to find someone quick. Cesc has Daniella and now you have Sergio. I’m going to end up all alone,” Leo says dramatically. 

“You’ve obviously had too much to drink already,” Gerard says, unimpressed by Leo’s theatrics.

Leo laughs. “I’ve have like two shots with Cesc. He’s in the kitchen with Daniella by the way. You should tell him the good news.”

Cesc is all happiness and Daniella congratulates them with a smile as Cesc boasts proudly of his role in getting them together. Gerard doesn’t remember much of that role but he’s not one to bring a birthday boy down. 

“I’m so lucky to have a birthday and one of my best friend’s getting a boyfriend in the same weekend. Now we just need to work on you, Leo. I’m sure we can find you a good guy soon enough,” Cesc says, throwing his arm around Leo’s shoulders. 

Gerard ignores Cesc who is now fussing over what he calls Leo’s unfortunate love life of being left by both his only two previous boyfriends who moved out of NYC. He pours Sergio and himself some red wine and leads Sergio over to the couch to sit. 

“They’re both really cute,” Sergio says. 

Gerard furrows his brow to look as exaggeratedly upset as he can. “Cute?”

Sergio laughs, head thrown back, neck exposed and it really takes a lot of self-control for Gerard not to kiss his throat. 

“Not as cute as you, I promise.”

Gerard nods in approval and wraps his arm around Sergio’s waist to bring him closer. “Good.”

Sergio pecks him lightly on the lips and Gerard is pretty sure he’s never been happier.

**Author's Note:**

> Title from "Can You Feel This Love" by Amuro Namie.


End file.
